I don't know about you but I really enjoy history, looking at how art has changed throughout history gives me a real feel for how society has changed through the years.
Before I carry on, I will point out that this is all just based on my own honest opinion.
If we go back in history, we'll start to see the real impact AI is about to have on readers, writers, and artists. Up until the early 2000s, book covers and illustrations were widely done using an artist who would spend hours tediously going over every detailed brushstroke, trying to get everything perfect, the results are almost always perfect. Then something hit the market, artists could use software on their computer and turn an almost perfect piece of art into something stunning. Following this, the technology changed again, bringing on the era of digital artists.
Let's go back further, way back, to around 1860, when some of the best writers would settle at their desks, take their pens and paper and begin to write their masterpieces. Each day their hands would ache as they lit their candles to carry on their work, long into the night. Advancements in technology brought them the typewriter in 1868, their hands still ached but they were able to write twice as much as before. Then in 1920, it all changed again, the electric typewriter was brought to the market, meaning fewer mistakes, more work, more books, and more writers.
During WW2, technology was being used to decipher German codes in Bletchley Park in 1943. Technology took a huge stride after the war. Domestic computing began in the 1970s, with the advancement of Microsoft Word in 1983, technology was at its height, but it was not going to stop there. As mentioned above, digital art has become so popular, most people see it in their everyday lives and don't even notice. Most telephone companies turned to automated answering, which isn't far from AI.
So what does this have to do with AI?
The argument with AI is clear, it isn't about the program itself, it is more to do with how it learns. Artificial Intelligence is a hot topic at the moment, but why? People are not scared of it, least of all authors who mostly look forwards to taking advantage of this and using it as a tool to better their writing. The concern is with copyright, teaching a computer to bring up prompts takes us to the argument of the AI suggesting a title, book, and entire story based on a book it has been 'taught', a book that could belong to you.
It furthers the argument that, if a book is written by a human author, sold, and later becomes a TV series, then great, that author has reached the moment most authors can only dream of. However, that author used AI to create their book, and an all too similar story exists, which taught the AI, but the author of that book has sold few copies and now they must sit and watch their book portrayed on TV, but is that in breach of copyright?
The computer made me do it, is not an excuse here and someone needs to be accountable. AI can be an amazing tool for authors and creators, but it must be treated carefully by the companies who create the AI, working ethically is the only right way of doing it, but when you have technology giants versus small authors who make around 1k a year, the fear is that copyright will go out of the window and small authors will be crushed by AI legal teams.
Is it all gaslighting?
I really don't think it is. We do have a reason to be concerned. Taking my book and allowing someone to write a story that is similar gives me the right to be scared, greed often drives our market and this is where governments need to step in to create strict guidelines for these companies to follow. Whether they'll do that, and whether or not these companies will follow is yet to be seen.
All eyes are on America, nothing new there, but world governments are slowly starting to realise there will be a real impact with AI, I'm not overly concerned, providing the right measures are put in place. Technology advances daily, and this is one of those advancements. Looking back to the 1860s, would they see us using Microsoft Word as AI or a massive benefit? Microsoft Word isn't seen as crossing a line, but AI is currently testing where that line should be drawn. Personally, I will be watching closely to see where these advancements take us.
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